Jughead and Betty's Fight
by m0nica
Summary: A more indepth version of the fight between Jughead and Betty in 1x10.


"Until you're sick of slumming it with me? Or until Archie changes his mind and says he wants to be with you?" Jughead spat. The moment the words left his mouth he knew he had messed up. He looked into her teary eyes and waited for her to say something back, to tell him that he was a good-for-nothing weirdo, but she never did. She shook her head and turned on her heels, trying to stifle the sounds of her sobs. Jughead clenched his fists and closed his eyes in frustration. He blew it.

"Betts, wait!" He called out after her. She kept walking. He called out again, but Betty took off running. He stood in place, cursing himself for ruining this. He loved Betty; he knew that. She was the only girl he had ever had even remote feelings for. She was the only girl who made him feel like he wasn't so alone, the only girl in town who ever seemed to care about him. But that was over now. He ruined it.

He knew he had gone way too far. He knew Archie was bothered by his relationship with Betty, but he also knew Archie would never say anything about it. What would he say? "Just because I don't want to be with Betty doesn't mean you can be. She's still mine," was all Jughead could imagine, but again, he knew Archie would never come out and say it because he knew it was ridiculous. In his head, Jughead rationalized that he was better for Betty than Archie. He was always open with her, he always told her how he felt, he would never play these mind games with her, and he would never hurt her. The latter was a promise to her just as much as it was a promise to himself, but he had broken it, smashed it into a million pieces. Sorry couldn't even begin to describe how he felt.

He hated himself for what he had said to her. They both knew they were different, but Jughead knew that wasn't an issue for Betty. He knew he didn't have to go there. Jughead knew that she hated being "the girl next door" and he had used it against her anyway. He expected her to snap back at the things he said, but she didn't. He had defeated her, hurt her to the point where she had no words. She had called him her boyfriend, too. Veronica had said it, but Betty never had. It made his heart flutter when she did, as it finally solidified in Jughead's mind that Betty was his.

He said they were on borrowed time. He felt nauseous just thinking about that. If she would've said that to him he would've been devastated and he worried Betty might be. He kicked himself for that. He didn't understand why he did this, why he _always_ did this. He was unbelievably self destructive. When something even remotely positive came into his life he made sure he destroyed it completely. He hated himself for hurting Betty. He absolutely loathed himself. Borrowed time? What did he even mean by that?! He had let out his own deep hidden insecurities about his relationship with Betty, but instead of being a rational human being and just talking them out with her he decided to throw them at her, use them as a weapon to make her back away.

Jughead thought he was going to be sick. He held back tears as he realized with the utmost certainty that she would never truly talk to him again. He was going to go back to being alone, living in a world that didn't belong to him. He wasn't even sure if Archie would take his side on this, but why would he? Jughead was in the wrong and he knew that. He just couldn't believe he had done this.

He knew he had to face the music. He had to let Betty go. He knew she'd realized by now she could do better. He knew the moment he spoke to her she would tell him to get lost, but he had to face that. He needed her to know he was sorry even though he knew it wouldn't change anything. The hurt on her face as he lashed out at her made him realize instantly how much she cared about him, further instilling in him how badly he screwed up. He had the slightest of hopes that maybe he could fix her. He really didn't know if he could lose her.

He bounded in to the house, searching frantically for her. He was stopped by Ethel, which led him to see his father. This whole night was in shambles. He decided that he didn't want to get dumped on his birthday, and that maybe it was best for him to just let Betty have fun for the rest of the night without him. He headed to the door, stopped by Chuck and Sheryl.

When Chuck had attacked Betty, Jughead was fuming. He didn't even care that Chuck had involved him, but Jughead wanted to kill Chuck for what he did to Betty. He was in awe at what Chuck had said, and in even more shock that Betty didn't deny a thing. He wasn't scared, he was worried. This deepened his self-loathing for what he had said to her.

Chuck had deserved that punch. Hell, he deserved the full Jason Blossom treatment. It was worth a bloody cheek and a black eye. Betty must have been horrified of what Jughead had done. He had further proven that she was too good for him; he was trash and she was treasure. He knew he was done for, but his father made a good point. Maybe Betty needed him as much as he needed her.

He ran up the stairs and back into the house. He called out her name in the kitchen, in the living room, and in Archie's room.

"Betts, please" Jughead practically begged. As an answer to his prayers, he heard the sound of her sniffling. He followed the sound, stopping in his tracks when he heard her sobs. What Chuck had done must have really set her off.

"Betty?" he whispered. He knocked on the bathroom door, "It's me. It's Jughead."

Jughead held his breath waiting for her to open the door. That's when he saw her. Her minimal makeup was still smeared across her cheeks. She made eye contact with him and sobbed into her hands. He rushed to her side, throwing his arm around her and whispering "It's okay, Betts. I'm so sorry, it's okay." She didn't respond.

"Chuck is a douche, Betty. No one will listen to him. It's okay, Betts."

Betty lifted her face from her hands, "I'm sorry, Juggy. I'm so sorry."

"Don't be sorry, Betts. I'm not judging you. We can talk about it."

Betty sobbed, "I don't want to be with Archie. I really don't. I just-" she sniffled, "I just wanted you to have a special birthday. I wanted it to be the best day ever."

Jughead's heart broke again. She wasn't even crying about Chuck, she was crying over _him_. He hurt her so much that she had been brought to tears. He couldn't believe he had done this. He made the love of his life a heap of tears just because she threw him a birthday party. He pushed her far, far way because of a birthday party.

"Come on, Betts, let me get you a milkshake. I promise it will help."


End file.
